Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to side Quest. This is our weekly
video game show. Here at first I'm your host, Dylan
must and I am joined by the Rightful Heir, the
the False God of the Geek. First side Quest Trivia Battle,
the Charted Kirkland Pattherer. How's it going today, my friend?
Speaker 2: Oh, I'm doing very good. Yes, that was a beautiful intro.
Can't let anyone forget I was digging up my my
in the depth the depths of my parents dungeon for
those Xbox three sixty games to solidify my points.
Speaker 1: Yeah, if anyone has not yet listened to that trivia battle,
go do so. Spoil why Kirklan may or may not
have been robbed. You can go make up your own.
Speaker 3: Call on that.
Speaker 1: But yeah, I wanted to give your flowers here because
I mean, you did great, You did great?
Speaker 3: Did you win? Who knows?
Speaker 1: People have to listen to the episode and decide for
themselves to choose your own adventure. Today, though we are
talking about some of the games I've been playing, I
don't know what you've been playing, so I'm excited to
find out what that is. And then the big news headlining,
of course, this week is all about Xbox. Xbox announced
some changes to game Pass and a bunch.
Speaker 3: Of other things is releasing.
Speaker 1: I just liked it a little bit, but I think
I'm fine. Seventh, which is the release date of Monochrome Heights,
which is a two D platform or released by a
good friend of mine who anyone checked out the Chosen
One that game jem I did earlier this year. I
worked on that with the developer of Monochrome Heights. Fun
little connection point there. I did a big interview with him.
That's up on the you know, all the feeds now
you can listen to. That released over the weekend. So yeah,
go check out that game. If you like platformers, you
like hard games, this is a really really cool game.
Like I said, I haven't played the full release yet, but
I've played a bunch of the betas and you know,
demos and things like this, so it's a great game.
Check it out monocrom Heights on Steam right now. By
it because my friend is great and he made a
really cool game. Okay, let's get into the games we've
been playing. Kirkle I'm gonna throw it over to you first.
What have you been playing lately?
Speaker 3: Nice?
Speaker 2: Yeah, nothing too crazy? I did complete since last time
I was on I did complete the first Uncharted game.
I think I mentioned to you I jumped into the
Drake's Collection or Uncharted Click.
Speaker 3: Whatever it's called.
Speaker 2: And yeah, I had never played through the first Uncharted
game ever, and Charted two was the first one that
I played, way back in the PS three era. Love
that game so much, and for whatever reason, I just
stopped there. Like I think I played the demo for three,
but like never went beyond that. So yeah, I was
on the PlayStation catalog and a little while ago I
was just like, yeah, whatever, I just want like a
very basic line your story with some shooting, you know,
nothing like too crazy or difficult. By that point I was,
I was, I think I was burnt out on my
elden Ring grind, so I just need something like a
little bit easier And it totally fit that just what
I was looking for there. And this last weekend I
was able to roll credits on the first game, and yeah,
I thought it was totally fine. It's definitely not what
I remember two being. Like. Just the first time going
through that game, I just it was like the best
thing of just a third person.
Speaker 3: Historic shooter adventure.
Speaker 2: And I just absolutely love that second game, and I
do intend to go through all three of them, so
I'm curious if it maybe won't shine as just a trilogy.
I kind of forgot there was a fourth so yeah.
Speaker 1: Collection, but that because they released the collection. I think
for like PS four the kind of remastered version, and
then I think four afterwards.
Speaker 2: Is on the catalog, whether it was a monthly that
I grabbed when it when it popped up, or if
it's just on the cattle.
Speaker 3: I think it is. It's just not part of that
Nathan Drake collection. I think, yeah, yeah, so.
Speaker 2: And I've heard fantastic things about four, especially if you're
fans of the series.
Speaker 3: And I really enjoyed the first one.
Speaker 2: I thought it was it had some some little twist,
but just a very like simplified version of what I
remember Number two being, and I imagine it goes even
crazier in three and four, And it's funny, that's kind
of how I felt when I played through the first
Sly Cooper game. When I did that collection like a
long time ago, it was just like like, definitely the
seasoning is there, like like the familiar recipe, but it's
just like very basic compared to where they kind of
go in in the second game. And yeah, no, it
was lots of fun. There is the character Elena. She's
she bounces in I think through all of the games.
So it was kind of cool to see her in
the first one because when I was playing the second one,
like she just popped up.
Speaker 3: It's like, hey, we have a lot of history together.
Speaker 2: It's just like, oh okay, so now it's kind of
fun to be able to I have said that I've
gone through that adventure and yeah, it was a good time.
I'm definitely not going through and grabbing all the treasures
like like I tried to do.
Speaker 3: I think I was.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I told the story of how I got like
ninety eight percent of the platinum for the second game.
Speaker 3: Way back in the day.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and I'm just never going to get it.
And it's just one of those where you'd have to
pull up like a YouTube video and just go collect
all these treasures and I just don't have the time
to do that these days. But yeah, no, it was good.
Speaker 1: How long was the playtime on that? Like six hours?
Ten hours, eight hours?
Speaker 2: I think, yeah, I think it was six hours. I
have like eight hours total, but I feel like I
had a couple hours before, like maybe I booted it
up in the past and like did a mission or
two but never went too much further than that. So yeah,
I think I have eight hours total, but for that
one playthrough, I think it was like six, and I
think the first one was or sorry, the second game
is pretty similar, probably a little bit more, but yeah,
I imagine they're all kind of same. It kind of
fits that genre of game.
Speaker 1: I kind of think of those games as like in
terms of the breaking down the gameplay of like big shootouts,
climbing yellow painted objects, and like puzzles. Was there anything
in that game you're like, oh, there actually wasn't many
puzzles in this one, or there was more of this,
or like the puzzles were actually super good, Like was
there anything surprising or unsurprising about the gameplay?
Speaker 2: Not really like it, it's pretty much what you just covered,
especially that it's like the first in the series. It's
like the most basic of those of that version. So
I feel like the I was a little bit underwhelmed
by the puzzles, like it it didn't quite go to
the the level that I remember the second one being.
So maybe that's just where they evolved in going from
the first game to the second game. There was I mean,
like any game, the water levels just absolutely suck, so
anytime you like swimming, I just hate that so much.
And the controls just felt so janky, and even just
like the overall movement of the character, it just the
game feels a lot arcadier than I remember it being
from back in the day. Like it of course way
back then on the PS three it felt like a
very realistic game. But the fact that I'm just like
jumping around and leaping over all the terrain like I'm
I don't even know, like just some Arcadi character, but
it fits it. I feel like the fact that it
is just like an easy to go through game. I
think I would like it a lot less if it
played a lot more realistic, like if I was just
getting one shot headshots and stuff like that. But no,
it's fun, and there's something also very like just comforting
by having those like Arcadie feels like just the gun
sounds like they just don't sound realistic at all, but
like it's still just really fun in re minds, just
like a mini clip type game. It's just like a
side scroller shooter, I feel like it has some of
those elements in there, but yeah, no, it's it's yeah.
Speaker 1: When you replayed Last to Us earlier this year, did
you play you played the whole thing or did you
just do a few hours. I got like eighty percent
of the way there.
Speaker 2: It's funny that the first time I played through the game,
I got like fifty percent of the way and then
I redid it, and then I got like eighty percent
of the way there. And for whatever, I think, if
the show was over and I just kind of lost
some of the buzz of Us, but I gotta go
back and finish it. It's still installed, so I have
no reason not to jump in there.
Speaker 3: Probably just because we weren't all super jazzed on the show.
I'm not going this very absolutely.
Speaker 2: And then I saw Last of Us Part two is
actually available now on the Cattle, So that's again another reason,
whichcause I've heard divisive opinions on that game. But now
that I've gone through the story of seeing the show,
I think I'll I'll just be able to enjoy the
gameplay because I've heard the gameplay is absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that was announced during the State of play from
like two weeks ago, which also showed off Wolverine and
all that other stuff. So what's the next Naughty Dog
thing for you?
Speaker 3: Then? Is it gonna be last at Part two?
Speaker 2: Is it?
Speaker 3: And is it finishing part one? Is it Uncharted two?
I definitely.
Speaker 2: I feel like I'm in a lot less of a
rush to go into two, just because I've played it before,
and I don't know. It's tough though, because I didn't
think I was gonna be jumping in Uncharted one, but
then I just got an itch to jump into that
type of game, so I could see that happy again.
But I think it will be last of us also
just because I don't want to install it until I
beat it, so I'm just that much more motivated to
clear up some some memory in the system. And and yeah,
I just want to roll credits and see that ending,
even though I know what happens, just see it through
the game. The game version, m.
Speaker 3: Right on, right on. What else anything other than Uncharted?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 3: Not really.
Speaker 2: I've been playing League every every once in a while
with with with the homies. Uh. It was fun last weekend,
I think it was last weekend. We had a full
ten man like custom game, which I I literally haven't
done that since like high school. So that was like
peak leagual Legends game.
Speaker 3: Uh, it was fun.
Speaker 2: We had five of my friends and then my one
friend's brother had like a bunch of his friends, so
then we just like made yeah, a full lobby and
we absolutely dominated them. It was it was. It was
so much fun. And yeah, we just went on a
tear that night. It was. It was lots of fun.
It was just reminiscing of those peak, those peak mobile
gaming nights. It was the weekend two I think Shay
was like in Vancouver, so we just up till like
two in the morning, all of us were just playing league.
Speaker 1: It was I bet yeah, I probably had like a
land party energy to it as well, like throw back
to two separate eras of gaming.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, exactly. And you know, those nights, they're pretty rare,
especially to get everyone like like that many people on
on just all organized together. These days, as we're getting
older in life, it's it's harder to organize those things.
But yeah, it was a good time.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Nice.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I have two well one one game and then the
kind of lager of games here. So as I mentioned
to you, A few weeks ago, I played through Tonyok's
three plus four, that remake that released this year, and
then I was like, man, I need to play one
plus two. It's still an on game pass. I don't
know what's going on here, but it was on sale
on PlayStation, so I just bought that finally, after all
these years, you know, I've been waiting and waiting, waiting,
but I just couldn't stop. So I picked up that one.
And then for weeks there I was just like jumping
between those two games, just like out what levels am
I feeling tonight? Knock out some of these bonus challenges, objectives,
all that fun stuff. And then I went even more
insane than that and went to the used game store,
of course and picked up some of the older ones
that I haven't played, and like half these discs didn't work,
but thankfully they're all like five dollars, so the biggest deal.
But I finally played through Tonax pro Skater five, which
I'm guessing do you have not played that one, Kirklin?
Speaker 2: No? I have not.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's that was a PS four era release, and
which yeah, is crazy. It's like years after all these
other ones, and it is like one of the worst
games I feel like I've ever played it. Just it
The gameplay feels terrible. The movement is atrocious. They took
stripped out so much of like the combo ness of it.
Like when you know, how when you're like grinding and
you're like, you know, tap double tap y or yx
whatever you like to a new grind and you like
keep the combo multiplier going up. It doesn't even have
like that feature in there.
Speaker 3: Uh, It's like.
Speaker 1: It was intended it to be like a multiplayer thing
where you like jumping big lobbies with your friends and
power around and stuff, but like all the maps suck
and have no personality and like no flow to them.
Like it's just it's just an atrocious game. And it
has like horrendous like reviews and all that, and it's
like one hundred percent warranted. It is just not a
good game by any stretch of the imagination. So for
the fascination of it, it was, you know, interesting to
check it out and knock it off the list. But yeah,
I would not recommend anyone play that game.
Speaker 3: That game list is terrible. So yeah, I don't know
what next.
Speaker 1: I feel like next I need to check out maybe
Project eight, because I've heard actually that one's pretty good.
It kind of came out after the other ones, and
it's like not as good as their earlier games, but
it's still like fine, still good enough. Still is like
the good movement, which is the most important thing. So
I might check out some of that. But yeah, that
was kind of my my Tony Hawk journey there continuing off.
Speaker 3: So that was good.
Speaker 2: That exists. Like when I when I search up Tony
out pro Skater, it just like it says all the
numbers except for five, Like I actually have to put
in five. It's as if it's just like a shadow
and title, and it just it looks odd. It looks
very basic and it's so weird that you can't do
like the combos.
Speaker 1: Okay, Kirkland my other game that I've been playing, which
took me like a month to play through this thing
because I was kind of slowly chipping away at it
is Metal Gear Solid three snake Y been continuing.
Speaker 3: Is that the new one, like the new the new
remake one.
Speaker 1: No I am not playing even though did just come
out in August. Yeah, so this is I was looking
into the history of this game, and my god, has
it been released a lot of times. So it first
released in two thousand and four, and then they re
released a year later in two thousand and five, which
I think was called Substance. Subsistence was the like version
difference there, and it pretty much changed it from like
top down camera to like more third person traditional camera.
That was like I think the main change between those
two versions. And then it released like a year year
or two later as it was ported to the PSP,
which I think probably had that same version, and then
in twenty eleven it was released in like an HD
version or HD collection, which once again I think all
the new subsistence like that the three D camera from
this point on, and then it was released again in
twenty twenty three and as part of the Master Collection,
which I'm pretty sure is the exact same as that
HD collection, but it just had like a couple other
games in the mix with it, but it was like
the same version of metal Gear Solid three. And then
of course, in as you just mentioned, twenty twenty five
augustal metal Gear Solid three Delta Snake Eater was released,
which is like a remake, although I think it might
be a remaster with some other weird, Like I don't
know where it is on that on that scope of things.
From what I understand though, it is like pretty much
a one to one roommake. But it's even more like
the controls are just more straightforward because even though this version,
this older version, like had third person like controls, it's
still very janky, like it's not kind of what you'd
expect for a regular third person game in the year
twenty twenty five. So anyway, I am playing the twenty
twenty three Master Collection version, which I'm pretty sure is,
like I said, that twenty eleven HD remaster, which is
a remaster of that second released version which had the
third person camera.
Speaker 3: So it's confusing.
Speaker 1: That's not confusing at all, Right, that's pretty straightforward. Yeah,
So I the reason I'm playing this version is because
while I already bought this game, as I talked about
on side quest, I played through Metal Gear Solid one,
and I can't remember if I did talk about my
time with Metal Gear Solid two. I played through about
half that game and really just hated it, and it
was said, ef it, I'm not going to finish this
then just watch like a YouTube play through like for
the second half of the game, but see, you know
what are the set pieces, Boss's story stuff that I missed.
So yeah, I just gave up on Melgear Salid too,
So I don't know if I talked about it on
side quest at all. And then finally with the release
of the new one, I was like, you know what,
I'm gonna jump back and play three. Even if I'm
not playing the newest version. That's fine. I can still
kind of have some fun here play Malgear Salid three
along with a lot of other people. And I will say, like,
this is it's an interesting thing that they released this
big remake first instead of like one or two. But
I actually think it makes sense because this is a prequel,
like this is the in the timeline, I guess, like
the first thing that happens, so it kind of makes
sense for this to be the first one that they
released in that in that perspective, And yeah, I've beat
I've beat the game. I did finish this one on
like mental Gear Solid two. I will say though, even
though I didn't really enjoy it a whole lot more
than Melgear Solid two, and I'm kind of I'm just
maybe a little disappointed because I played Mulgar Slid one
finally for the first time last year ish and really
enjoyed the game. I'm like, man, this is cool. Like
I've always missed this series and I finally played it
and really enjoyed it. And yes, it's old and the
controls are super jank and it's really confusing and the
story is super weird, but like, I still really enjoyed it.
And then two was not the case, and then three
not really the case again. I just when it comes
down to it, the most simple way I can put it,
is like the story is not good or interesting, and
the pacing sucks and the gameplay isn't fun. It's like
it's like that sounds extremely cruel, but like that's.
Speaker 3: Just kind of kind of how I felt.
Speaker 1: Like. There are some highlights, some good moments, some funny
care characters, and weird things that happen which I enjoy,
but for the most part, like this game just didn't
really do anything.
Speaker 3: For me, which is which is too bad.
Speaker 1: So I believe you've only played four really and then
like a bit of five like the prequel thing, right,
I don't think you've played this one, right?
Speaker 2: Yeah, No, four was the introduction to middle of your
solid for me, and then I think it was it
was like a playable demo thing, but it was like, yeah,
I forget what that's called Wings of Liberty or something
like that.
Speaker 3: I don't know. That was the I think that was StarCraft.
Wasn't was a StarCraft, Yeah it was.
Speaker 2: It has some title like that though, It's something Liberty
or something.
Speaker 3: Yeah, liberty. Yeah, yeah, anyway, Yeah, there was some weird
prequel kind of Free.
Speaker 2: Of the Patriots.
Speaker 3: That was the one I played number four. Yes, there
you go.
Speaker 1: But yeah, so this game is interesting from the prequel perspective,
and that's not something I knew going into. So the
first hour he was extremely confused. I'm like, why is
he a rookie? Why does he not know anything? Why
does he not knows him these people? And then eventually
I included on that this this game is really funny.
I feel like there's so many things in this that
did remind me a lot of Death Stranding. And I
mentioned this to Travis on cast that there is like
a reference to a movie called On the Beach in
this game, which is weird considering all these years later,
he you know, released Death Stranding two On the Beach
and obviously he really likes that that name and that
movie and all these references. But like, also this game,
much like Death Stranding one opens with, is like so
much cutscene and exposition before you get to play the game,
like more than I feel like I've ever seen from
a game this old.
Speaker 2: Is.
Speaker 1: I feel like it's like maybe an hour and a
half of like maybe you walk like ten steps like
with the controller, and the rest of it is just
like explaining all these organizations and like these concepts of
giant mech creatures and then like the state of like
these different countries and like that where they're at in
the war, and introducing all these characters, and it's like
maybe ten percent of that is like cool stuff, and
most of it is just like I don't know, Kojima
just loves tech and what and Rea and things like that,
and he and he just loves to talk about them
through the mouth of a character in one of these games,
and I just think sometimes he's just so far up
his own ass that like, what are we even doing here?
Like none of this makes sense or is interesting in
any way, so that that's too bad. And then I think,
you know, it really gets away from that. But then
there are a lot of cut scenes and a lot
of sequences where there's not a lot of gameplay in
between another big cut scene chunk, and I will say
to the game's credit, I think the ending like the
actual final cut scene. There's some good twists and there's
some good character moments. I think it comes together in
a pretty nice way and does a good job of
setting up Metal Gear Solid one, which would obviously be
the next one in the timeline, So can I kind
of connect them that way? But then from what I understand,
some of the characters that are big players in this
game are big players and metal Gear Solid four, so
I think it kind of works either way. Are you're
gonna go back and play the original one play in
timeline or or are you gonna play the games in
like series release order. Either way you're getting like a
good experience or a good setup in that way, So
there's some good stuff going on there. I ask my
main question for you with Meddle Gear Solid four is,
especially because you're hit Man fan, you're a Dishonored fan, like,
do you do you have much memory of the Stealth
was the self Super good and Melgear Salid four.
Speaker 3: I'm just curious how much you remember that, because I
don't know, it's been a few years, but yeah.
Speaker 2: No, I remember that being like one of the things
that blew my mind the most out of like that
era of gaming was just I hadn't played a game
that had stuff like that, Like especially when you get
you got like a certain camouflage suit that you can
just blend into like any surrounding, and it's just so sweet,
like crawling like army crawling around and then you just
like completely blend into any any environment. And I just
remember loving like like crawling around taking people out with
your little electric knife, your little shock knife thing. And
then you also just had some nice snipers that you
had access to, So I remember really loving the Stealth.
Speaker 3: Again, that was a PS.
Speaker 2: Three era game that I have not revisited, so it
could be really really horrible to today's standards, but at
the time it was definitely a game changer.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I mean, I think this still for the most part
works for me pretty well in Metal your Solid one,
but then something about two and three, I just I
guess it feels so messy, which is maybe like intentional,
but I just feel like it's so hard to get
through an area without getting caught, and it's very unclear
to me when I'm gonna get caught, and like what's
gonna cause to go into this frenzy. And then compared
to other games, I feel like a lot of stealth games,
you get caught and like you know, there's that initial
period where they're not like fully hunting you down and
you can like, okay, if I get back in to
cover pretty quick, like you know, they'll leave me alone.
And I just feel like that happens pretty rarely in
this game. Like most of the time it goes into
like a full on chase and I'm like way in
the weeds and it's like, okay, now I just gotta
kill everyone and fight through it that way, and like
you know, that's fine. But once again, the controls in
this game are so janky that it's like I'm not
gonna have a fun action battle between these people because
you have to like you go into like first person
mode by holding that down. Then you have to like
click a button to regrets to your gun and then
like click the actual button to like shoot, and so
it just feels like like I don't have no fingers
on my hand to do all these things that you
only do mixed with like moving the control stick and
actually like aiming at things.
Speaker 3: Uh so, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1: I just I feel like something about one got the
stealth balance right, and then I feel like with two
and three it feels like they're just trying to amp
up the difficulty the stealth, and I, to be honest,
played this game on the low is difficulty, and still
the stealth just felt kind of impossible. Like maybe if
I kept loading and reloading saves and doing it over
and over again, I could have got through these stealth
sections stealthily, but it just felt kind of impossible, which
I think is too bad, because there are so many
tools in this game, you know, like all tons of
weapons you're gonna equip, and then like tons of different
tools and you can only equip a certain amounts. You
kind of switch them out, and so many of them
are really interesting and cool, and it's almost like like
des straining too out a lot of that as well,
where it's like there's so many interesting weapons and tech
and tools in here, but just like finding the situations
where they actually make sense to use, rather than just
like your trank pistol just doesn't like, I feel like
there's a lot of room for creativity that I don't have,
which I feel like is a criticism. A lot of
people throw it like Dishonored, just like, oh, yeah, this
game is really creative.
Speaker 3: There's lots of cool things you can do.
Speaker 1: But I'm not personally creative enough to find those things out,
and therefore it's not that cool. And I guess that's just,
unfortunately how I feel about this game, and kind of
how I felt about Desterrainting a little bit as well,
like there's just so many cool things in there that
just don't really feel integrated or like maybe tutorialize in
the right way or something, so that's too bad. And
then I think that also kind of extends to the
boss fights. There's a lot of fun boss fights in
here in terms of like the their naming or their theming,
And after I beat the game and learned about some
of like the crazy things you can do to like
beat these bosses in cheesy ways, it's like, man, that
stuff is really cool, but I just never would have
discovered that stuff on my own. So I feel like
I don't know if the intention is you play this
game and then you go online and like read you know,
wiki guides, or you talk with your friends at school
and someone tells you, oh, you can do this crazy
thing to like choose this boss, and then you play
the game again and it like blows your mind.
Speaker 3: When that happens.
Speaker 1: So I don't know, maybe that's like how it was
intended to be ingested, But for me, there's just so
many cool mechanics in here that I just never really
knew existed when I was actually playing the game because
they're so obscure and you wouldn't thing to do them,
and like, no other game has things like this, so
you just like don't have that like ready because you're
you know, you're not used to it. It's not like
it taught to you from other games, because this game
is pretty unique in that way. So it's it's a
weird backhanded compliment for the game I'm giving where it's
like too cool and creative.
Speaker 3: Uh for me, I guess.
Speaker 1: Personally, which is which is unfortunate? Did you find that
is the case with uh Metal yourseld four. Did you
find any like weird uh mechanic things that you just
couldn't quite connect with?
Speaker 2: Uh, there's definitely a lot of equipment that I did
not utilize at all, Like I remember there being like
different variations of like the throwables that I probably just
never used, like at all. And it's funny you mentioned
like the stealth being very difficult to the point that
it would just end in in a shootout. I do
remember shoot like having shootouts a lot, so I I
I I remember having cool stealth mechanics to utilize, and
there is like certain missions that like you have to
be stealthy. But also because it's been so long, like
very well could have ended every single mission in a
massive firefight with it without me full of your memory,
and so maybe maybe prepare for that if you eventually
get to four.
Speaker 3: Do you think you're gonna keep going with the series? Yeah,
I want to for sure.
Speaker 1: Metal Gear Solid four is a tricky one in that
it's just not easy to play right now. Like I
guess the only way would be to buy a PlayStation three,
find a disc, or like get an emulator on PC
that has like a PS three emulator, right, Like, I
think that's the only way you can actually play that
game right now. It's not in another collection, they haven't
released it recently, and obviously like PS three, emulation on
PS five just doesn't really exist other than like the
games that they have streaming for which Metal Gear Salt
is not one of them, like PS plus. So yeah,
it's just unfortunately kind of tricky. So I might honestly
just jump to five and then when four is like accessible,
like play that one in the future. I don't know
if that's crazy to do that, but the story is
already such a mess that I don't know if I'm
going to like lose much by playing it out of order.
Speaker 2: And yeah, that was one thing. Going through four. I
did not understand a single thing of what was going
on at all with any cut scene. Every cut scene too,
I'm like, man, this looks gorgeous, and this is PS three,
so it probably looked like terrible to today's standards, but
still back then and I was just still flabberg acid.
I didn't understand why there's multiple snakes, but why there's
big Boss and all these things are what's going on?
Speaker 1: But yeah, it was cool game. Nonetheless, Yeah, I guess
very confusing. This game does have that same kind of
costume outfit system that you were talking about there, where
you have like all these I think I had like
fifteen different suits by the end of the game, where
it's like, you know, like Woodland camel, snow camel, and
then you get weird ones like a scientist outfit and
that one allows you to go into certain buildings without
alerting certain people.
Speaker 2: Forty seven Yeah, yeah, very much.
Speaker 1: So, like it was, it was cool to see some
of that stuff in there, Like I enjoyed some of that.
I didn't feel like there was a ton of moments
where you could actually be like, you know, have that
social stealth other than that one scientist moment. But I'm
sure there's like secret suits you can unlock to do
some crazy. I think one of the suits is just
like him naked, just literally like unclothed, so you know,
if you're into that, or maybe those metal you're solid too.
But they've done that before, and I think the other
big change they made with this one is a lot
of it. You are kind of stranded in a jungle
type setting, deep forest sort of thing, and there's a
lot of survival mechanics in this game, like rather than
just I guess there are healing things you get, but
I found like it was very rarely find finding healing items.
Speaker 3: Instead, you're just finding.
Speaker 1: Food in the form of like like snakes, like one
of the there's many reasons the game is called Snake Eater,
but one of them is that you're literally killing snakes.
Speaker 3: And eating them, and that's like one of the ways.
Speaker 1: That you regenerate your stamina, which when your stamina is full,
then you start to heal. But you're catching all sorts
of things, and then whenever you eat it, snake will
be like m or he'll be like and then he'll
like start puking. If you eat too much of these things,
things can rot in your backpack, so if you it's
there for too long, you just have to throw it
out or it'll make them puke. And then I learned
some crazy thing that if you eat a bunch of
food and he's like not feeling good and like the
character whatever like status menu, you can go in there,
you know, like you can like turn him around, like
look at him from different angles. If you keep spinning
him around, eventually he'll just get so dizzy that he
just pukes and then it like removes your stomach ache,
which is like, again, that's so cool. But I didn't
discover that on my own, because like who would think
to do that that's like absolutely crazy. And then at
one point in a game, there's an escort mission where
you have to like feed another character and like heal
them up and stuff, which actually kind of worked because
it wasn't too long the sequence, so it wasn't like
extremely frustrating like a lot of xcort escort missions are.
But yeah, some of the survival stuff was pretty cool.
There's even just healing your character. Like when you take damage,
you have to go into this menu and you have
like probably ten or fifteen different things that heal you
in different ways, like oh, you can put on a splint,
or you can put on a bandage, or you have.
Speaker 3: To take I don't know, anti toxin.
Speaker 1: You have to like put all these different things, take all,
take all these medications, put all like a different bandage
or whatever, depending on what kind of injury you took,
which was honestly normal for like first half of the game,
and then it kind of just became like Okay, now
I just have to click more buttons to heal, which
is kind of annoying. It like slows the game down
once you're later on, and yeah, I don't know how
much else I have to say, like the story, like
I said, didn't really do much for me. I think
that some of the characters work for me. There's there
is some some funny characters in there. There's a couple
characters that have a really interesting.
Speaker 3: Like mystique around them.
Speaker 1: The one Eva is like the main I don't know
character you're interacting with throughout the game, and of course
it's like it's like cringey Kajima, like she's just over
sexualized for no particular reason. But there are some stuff
for their character and actual writing that is pretty well done,
and like the performances in this game are are pretty
solid and fun. It's very Hollywood filmmaking that way. That
of course, Kajima is a big fan of these eighties
action movies and whatnot, and he's paying homage to a
lot of them with this one here. So yeah, I'm
glad even though I didn't enjoy it, I'm.
Speaker 3: Glad I've played it.
Speaker 1: This is a series that I feel like, even if
I'm not loving it, so kind of deserves my time
at least playing through Metal Gear sold one, two, three, four,
and five. Like, I don't know if I'll go find
Rising and play all these like PSP ones or whatever
that existed, But just for like the five main games,
I do want to play them. I think metal Gear
sold five sounds like it has a lot of cool
mechanics I think I'll really like. And then, like I mentioned,
when four is more easy, easily accessible, I'll want to
play that one as well, especially because that is a
favorite of yours. I definitely want to experience it and
talk to you about it. So I will do four,
or maybe I'll like I said, maybe I'll dump at
five next and then four at some point, but might
take a few months break before I jump back into
continue my metal Gear journey here.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so there's something so fascinating about just the like
the uh like the meta mechanics that Kajima always brought
to those those Metal Gear solo games, Like if I'm
not mistaken, there is one that you have to like
literally eject the disc to like progress forward in the mission.
Speaker 3: Like like it it's just.
Speaker 2: Like weird stuff like that that, yeah, to your point,
like how do you figure that out on your first
play through? Right, It's it's like people funding these crazy
easter eggs and games, but like this is like way
back then when it was just a core part of
the game. It's not like you're just trying to find
something in the backgrounds. But yeah, I loved in four.
It was just so crazy to me that you could
like play your eye like your character's iPod and then
you could just be listening to the music like while
you're going through a mission, like like games have that now,
but like just back then in the PS three era
that that was so sweet doing like a boss battle.
You just have this like crazy Japanese music going off
and in your character's iPod.
Speaker 3: It was great.
Speaker 1: Speaking of that, I mean there there is a like
a James bond S like song for this game where
the lyrics are like sing about snake eater and all
this stuff, and like that song, that song rips and
it's used at good moments. But yeah, it's funny those
like meta things, like I think you talked about one
of them with metalgar Solid one is like you have
to like plug in a controller in a different port
and that like that's how you overcome this character who's
like mind controlling you. And I play the game on switch,
and like that is just not intuitive or good on
switch because like okay, and now I gotta synk these
controllers and and it just doesn't have the same feel,
but like obviously you kind of have to retain that stuff.
Speaker 3: And then one of them in this.
Speaker 1: Game, one of the boss fights is against this like
extremely old guy's like one hundred years old, and you
can kill him by like going into your system settings
and like moving the clock forward a week and then
he'll just die of old age instead of you having
to fight him. And I don't know if you can
do that on the switch like Master Collection version, Like
I don't know if that's possible to do, And like, yeah,
that stuff is fun, but it's it's only fun to
an extent, Like I can kind of enjoy it from.
Speaker 3: Afar unfortunately, right, like actually experience that myself.
Speaker 1: But yeah, a cool game, weird game, just not unfortunately,
not when I really enjoyed spending time to play. But hey,
that's the way she goes to some of these old games.
Speaker 3: You know. It's just uh, just what happens. M. So
there you go.
Speaker 1: There is my time with Medical Solid three. How about
now we say a little shut out to our Patren
producers Aaron Brayden, People of Darkness, Jack Grant, Sam Super Bad,
My TGGLM six', Nine Jeremy, Renner Charlie, Rendell, Cocktail Clay
john with NO h And Sam. Green thank you all
for keeping the lights on over here at Geek. Versus
LIKE i mentioned earlier, today second episode of the show this,
Week Monochrome Heights Developer.
Speaker 3: Interview go check that.
Speaker 1: Out and then you, know with all sorts of fun
stuff releasing this, week Tron aris is, out so we're
doing a review for. THAT tv shows a plenty coming
out right. Now and, YEAH i was just talking About Tony.
HAWK i have Another Tony hawk specific episode of ranking
THAT i Think i'm planning on releasing next, week maybe
with the next week or, two so keep.
Speaker 3: An eye out for.
Speaker 1: That i'll probably put up on patroon a few days,
early so, yeah keep your eyes and ears out for.
That just subscribe and then you can see all that.
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Speaker 3: And we'll be right.
Speaker 1: Back, okay we are back to talk about xbo So
xbox And microsoft announced all sorts of things this, week And,
KIRKLAND i know you're not An xbox owner and you're
not a Game pass, subscriber but you, Know i'm sure
this stuff is very interesting to you, nonetheless and we
can break it down. Together so the big main thing
here is that they have Taken xbox Game, pass which
they reorganize the tiers and pricing like last, year and
they said you want, What we're gonna do it, again
and they have renamed the, tiers reworked the, tiers changed the,
prices and a couple other changes that we'll get into,
afterwards but essentially the way it works now is there
are four possible. Tiers they've kind of borrowed some of
the PlayStation naming convention where they're using the words essential
and premium, now but they could just to make things
even more. Confusing PlayStation's essential tier is their lowest, tier
and Then extra is the mid, tier and Then premium
is the highest, tier whereas For Xbox essential is still
the lowest, tier But premium is like the second, tier
and Then ultimate is the third. Tier so of course
confusion IS i think part of the strategy on why
they do these.
Speaker 3: Things they just.
Speaker 1: Want you to be, confused And i'll explain WHY i
think that's the case later.
Speaker 3: On but here we.
Speaker 1: Go so this was previously Called core when they did
the renaming last, year but now it's Called. Essential so
this and the Prices i'm gonna be using today Are
canadian dollars because we Are canadian, people so you can
convert this local. Currency fifteen dollars for so many podcasts
is Always. American, oh Game pass thirty. Dollars, no it's
not thirty four dollars for me AND i, care but the,
difference that's a difference for. Me so, Yes canadian prices.
Here the lowest tier is Called. Essential this is fifteen
dollars a. Month pretty much gives You xbox Like, live you,
know essentially an online play for console, players and it
gives you fifty. Games you have just a slice of
the Game pass. Catalog you're not getting day one. Things
you just get fifty.
Speaker 3: Games what games are? They who really.
Speaker 1: Knows there's probably A doom in, there there's probably a Sky.
Speaker 3: RIM i don't even.
Speaker 1: Know what's on that tier because how WOULD i possibly
know That premium is. Eighteen this has access to two hundred,
games which is roughly half of the catalog Of Game.
Pass so which ones are?
Speaker 3: THEY i don't. Know you better subscribe to find.
Speaker 1: Out and then this one they say you get first party,
games uh like the The day one games within twelve,
months so you, Know Indiana, jones great. Circle you're not
getting That day, one but you'll get it within twelve,
months which essentially probably means always one.
Speaker 3: YEAR i don't.
Speaker 1: KNOW i think they say within to sound, nice BUT
i think it's probably alway gonna be one year. Later
there is STILL pc Game. Pass this one is the
only thing that hasn't really changed at. All SO Pc
Game pass is twenty dollars a month that gives you
the full, catalog but it's ONLY.
Speaker 3: Pc of.
Speaker 1: Course you also have access TO Ea play with that,
one so a bunch OF ea, games and then The
Big head Hon Show Game Pass, ultimate which gives you
access to all of the, games including The day one
releases on BOTH pc and. Console it HAD Ea. Play
they've Added Ubisoft classics And Fortnite crew to this and
this Bad boy it's thirty four mother freaking dollars a.
Speaker 3: Month, kirkland thirty four. Dollars do you know any subscriptions
that are that much per? MONTH?
Speaker 1: U i Think sony's highest tier is twenty five Dollars
canadian or twenty four.
Speaker 2: That, YEAH i think you're. RIGHT i THINK i think
that would be the closest to. IT i subscribe To,
dezone which is the worst app. EVER i pretty much
just follow it for. Football that's twenty four. Dollars, okay
maybe twenty, five, gotcha which is a rip because it's
that's ALL i, get is, football but it's. Ridiculous but,
uh thirty four that's.
Speaker 1: Insane mm hmm, yeah which is roughly a fifty percent price.
Speaker 3: Increase that's What i'm waiting, for ye.
Speaker 1: Insane, right because the strategy with these things And, Netflix, Disney,
plusts all that stuff is, Like, okay every year or,
too you kick it up a dollar or, two and
then like you, know it increases that, much you, know
years and years, later and then it's, like, wow compared
to what it was like in twenty, fifteen what it is,
now it's drass. Difference but, like by only bumping it
a little, bit you keep people in because they're, like, oh,
okay it's only all or. More it's only twelve dollars a,
year and that's how you kind of keep people looped,
in roped.
Speaker 3: In but game PASS i don't.
Speaker 1: Know they, said let you know, what let's just jump
the shark here and jump by fifty percent. Up so,
yeah the the new the really the differences, here and
the way they're justifying this is by Adding Ubisoft, classics
which is to be, clear not you be self H
plus Or premium.
Speaker 3: Whatever you don't.
Speaker 1: Get, acces like you don't Have Assassin's Creed shadows on.
There that's just like old. Games so if you want
you want Old Assassin's creed, games probably a Ray man
game or. Something that's what you're getting with, that WHICH
i which is also part Of PlayStation plus at the highest,
tier so they you, know it's not even like a
competitive advantage of overplaystation if you want to make that
one to one. Comparison and Then Fortnite, crew which And
i'm not A fortnite, guy So i'm gonna try my best,
here BUT i think this is essentially like the Monthly
seasons pass uh For, fortnite and then like some V
bucks on top of. That so you're, LIKE i, guess
really the way to break it down is like if
you are already and a Game Pass ultimate, subscriber and
you buy.
Speaker 3: The Fortnite fortnite thing every.
Speaker 1: Month THEN i feel. IT i think you actually are
saving money with this new Game pass ultimate. Thing but
if you are not that very specific person that somehow
has time to play tons Of fortnite and five hundred
Game pass, games then, like, okay you can save like
maybe a dollar or two or. SOMETHING i don't know
what the what it actually works out. To so those
are those are the new things for. It and then
the other kind of smaller changes is, well actually this
was a kind of a big, one but previously a
lot of, games if not all of, them if there
was a game on Game, pass, uh if you went
to the store and you want to buy that, game
there would be a discount on that. Game that's kind
of the same for PlayStation i think for a lot
of those games you've seen it and PLAY ps, plus
you know you can get like maybe twenty five percent
off or whatever it is if you just want to
buy the game straight. Up so they remove that from Game.
Pass they that discount for the games is just gone
now that no longer. Exists and then they've always had
this thing Called Microsoft, rewards which is like when you buy,
stuff you get like money. Back they've added like, Different
they've changed the caps on, these and they've kind of
reworked it a little. Bit one of those THINGS i
have never understood how it, works So i'm probably losing,
Out LIKE i probably could save some money IF i
knew how this worked and like take advantage of it
as someone who subscribes To Gain pass and buys some
things On. Xbox But i've never understood how it, works
and they've changed that around.
Speaker 3: Too so those are the.
Speaker 1: Changes but, yeah the biggest whopper of course being that
big price increase To Game Pass. Ultimate there's some Other
xbox things, afterwards But kirkland just throwing all that at.
You what do You what do you think about these
Big xbox? Changes AND i don't, know does it make
any sense to? You can you see the vision.
Speaker 2: Other than just like business, wise like maybe they're a
lot more in the hole than it. Seems these are
just these seems like aggressive like financial moves of like,
okay like we're not making money. Here this is like
got to put our foot down and got to make
some big. Decisions just from What i've seen online and
the overall, buzz it's been pretty negative and just of,
course like the memes going around where like the website
was just crashing because everybody was trying to. Unsubscribe that
that's pretty crazy to. Me so as someone that doesn't
know An xbox and isn't a Game pass user and
has no skin in the, Game i'm just on the
sideline with my, popcorn just just enjoying my, PlayStation uh
catalog and. Happy it's not my you, know my my.
Company that's that's making those moves to affect. Me but,
no it's brutal because Game pass has been just fantastic
and although like PlayStation has like a really good catalog
of what they've, HAD i feel like what Game pass
has especially just combining it with the PlayStation or sorry
THE pc catalog with the, Console like it just seems
like it was such a fantastic system since. Launch really
like it's just been so fantastic where this is like
the first real oof here we go like like what
are they doing? Here but, YEAH i imagine they're doing
it for business, decisions but it's uh, yeah it's it's
unfortunate for the users because that's a that's a steep dollar,
increase And i'm glad we did do Those canadian numbers
BECAUSE i feel LIKE i always hear The american ones
And i'm, like, okay, yeah that's that's. High but it's
not nothing too. Crazy then what oh, gosh come On canadian.
Speaker 1: Dollars that's, yeah, YEAH i mean what let, me uh
cause my mass skills are not. Great calculator app thirty
four times. Twelve so, yearly if you're Subscribing Game Pass
ultimate for a year as four hundred and eight, dollars it's, like, Fucked.
Speaker 2: They're just not subscribed to that and buy like a
steam deck at the end of the.
Speaker 1: Year, yeah plus taxes, too so add another four hundred
and fifty. Dollars called, it you know FOR us A
bc residence. Here, YEAH i, mean this is A it's
just it's just it is an insane amount of price.
INCREASE i, mean there was a price. Increase it's consistently
like every, YEAR i feel like they've been bumping it
up a little.
Speaker 3: Bit but they've been doing WHAT.
Speaker 1: I said earlier of just like a dollar or, two
and it's, like, okay it's, reasonable it's, fine good. Enough
but last year they did like another big one that
was jumped up like twenty, five twenty six dollars or
something like That canadian every year or every, month not every,
YEAR i. Wish and at that point that last years
went for. Me that was the straw that broke the camel's.
Backward for, YEARS i was just subscribed because it was
low enough WHERE i got a lot of value out of,
it and it was low enough that it wasn't impacting
the bank account too. Much So i'm just gonna stay
subscribed easier because THEN i can just play all these,
things and even if there's a month WHERE i don't
play a lot or don't play at, all even it's
like it's, fine it's not too big a. Deal but,
yeah when they did that price increase last, YEAR i
canceled my Game pass immediately and left it canceled for
a few. Months AND i Guess i'll put it this,
way in the last twelve, Months i've probably been subscribed
to Game pass for six of those, months, maybe which
is you, know half the, year down from like a full.
Year and that's just me, personally of, course but, like you,
know at least like they were getting twelve months out
of me every year for like four years or whatever it,
was but then that dropped down to six months of
the year. Roughly and now after, this like you, KNOW
i don't, know Maybe i'll spend two or three months
a year, Subscribe Like i'll just wait for a bunch
of things to build, up you, know when there's, like you,
know ten New day one games have, dropped And i'll
subscribe In april and play everything that came out from
Like january To april in that. Month i'm just trying
to blast through it all a, month get through as
much AS i, can then cancel it. Again that'll probably
be my strategy going. Forward so like for me, personally
they're gonna lose, money and THEN i also THINK i
just this just makes.
Speaker 3: Me just want to play things more on.
Speaker 1: PlayStation i'll probably buy more games on, PlayStation be SUBSCRIBED
ps plus more and so a lot of that dollar
value is just gonna go over.
Speaker 3: There and so we'll.
Speaker 1: SEE i, mean obviously a lot of people canceled, immediately
as you saw with that website crashing a lot of
people on our. Discord travis who's like just stay subscribed
to Game pass since he's had a SERIES x for,
years he finally canceled it with this one that that
was what broke. Him and, yeah there's gonna be a
lot of people like. That SO i don't, know is
the price, increase is the money extra money they're gonna
get from the people who are sticking. Around is it
gonna outweigh the amount of people that are canceling That
and we'll have to just remain to be. Seen we
won't really know the answer to that question for some.
Time and, yeah it's like unfortunate because the things that
they're adding to make up for, this the things that
they're calling like we've made Game pass even better is
Ub Soft, classics WHICH i don't really care. About, yeah
Maybe i'll check out some of those, games but like
WHEN i, do it's Like i'll subscribe to you Be
soft plus a couple times a, year or LIKE i
did For Star wars Out LAWS i did For shadows
just to get a month in there play some other
games WHILE i have those. Subscriptions so, like this doesn't
really add value to me BECAUSE i was fine just you,
know jumping On Ubi soft every once in a, while
playing twenty dollars to like access a bunch of games
per a. Month SO i don't care about. This and
Then fortnite thing doesn't do anything for, Me so Now
i'm getting absolutely nothing. More i'm paying like ten dollars
more per, month so it just feels like a total
slap in the.
Speaker 3: FACE i have a couple thoughts on.
Speaker 1: This one is the confusion, angle WHICH i mentioned. EARLIER
i think that is a big reason why a lot
of these, Companies, Disney, Netflix PlayStation, Plus. XBOX i think
that's why they have all these different tiers and names
and they change this shit all the.
Speaker 3: Time they change the.
Speaker 1: Price is they just want you to be so confused
about it that you're just, like fuck, It i'm just
gonna pay for the highest tier because THEN i KNOW
i get. EVERYTHING i don't have to worry about. IT
i think that is a big part of the. STRATEGY
i think that's especially intentional with Game pass and how
they fucking changed the names of these tiers last year
and they're doing it again this. Year what the hell
are you guys? Doing that makes no, Sense but once,
again they just want you to be. Confused do you
know what two hundred games are on? PREMIUM i don't
think a single person can answer that for. You no
one knows what part of The xbox catalog are the
things that go Into premium and what goes into That
essential fifty games tier versus The ultimate. Tier like it's so,
confusing AND i don't, know maybe there's a website that
breaks it down in a really nice. Way but then
it's like every month that changes because more games leave Game,
pass more games joining Game, pass so it's just impossible
to keep. Up and SO i guess that they're just
hoping that that confusion leads people to keep paying For
ultimate and, yeah maybe they'll get a few months out
of people who didn't realize that the price, increase and
then they're just getting charged out the ass for another
few months before they, realize oh, SHIT i got to
cancel that because that went up a big. Amount it's
not actually going up for current subscribers Until november, fourth
so you do get like another, MONTH i guess at
the current rate before it goes up a huge amount
for odd people they just canceled anyway now for like
the statement of. IT i kept mine for this, month
But i'm gonna cancel it like before it renews In,
november BECAUSE i don't want to get charge out them.
Speaker 3: Mount here's my crazy conspiracy. Theory.
Speaker 1: Kirkland one of the other things here is this is
kind of a report that Apparently xbox reportedly lost what they're,
saying three hundred million dollars From XBOX pc players From
call Of Duty Black ops being on Game pass last.
Year so they they're guessing that they lost three hundred
million dollars by people not buying the game and instead
just like playing it through that Game pass, subscription which
is the first time that obviously they've Had call Of
duty and could put it in their. Day one part
of the my conspiracy theory here is that like maybe
they're doing this Now call Of duty comes out Mid.
November maybe they're doing this now price increase such a ridiculous,
amount want a ton of people to cancel, that so
that by the Time november rolls, around people are ready
to pony up and pay the full price.
Speaker 3: For Like call Of.
Speaker 1: Duty so they're gonna lose a bunch of, subscribers but
they're gonna make it up by like making a ton
of more money For call Of duty sales next, month
if that is their actual. Strategy LIKE i know for
a lot of these, companies it's all about that quarter
and like looking at those shareholders and investors and being, like, Oh,
yeah look at that, quarter we were up so, Big
so maybe that's all that, matters and then they'll like
fix that issue at the game pass price. LATER i don't,
know but that just seems like you've lost so much,
goodwill so many people are gonna be pissed about. This
you can't even like Buy xbox consoles right. Now the,
price like the tariff prices have gone. Up costo like
stopped selling, them like all these things are. Happening so it's,
LIKE i don't, know that just seems like a very
risky move if that is part of their. Plan but
that's like the only that's like really the only way
it makes sense to, me other than like they just
think they service is that freaking good that people are
ready to pay that much more money for it on
a monthly, basis which is a lofty presumption in my.
Speaker 3: Opinion.
Speaker 2: Yeah, NO i love a conspiracy, theory AND i feel
like there's some some substance to, that to that theory,
there it's that's a crazy on like the projected losses
of just not having or sorry Having call Of duty
just available on the game past eight.
Speaker 1: One it it, is but also they spent seventy billion
dollars For Activision, Blizzard so, like does three hundred million.
Speaker 3: Really matter at? All For?
Speaker 1: Microsoft like obviously For, xbox that brand's not make a
lot of. Money they're not doing, well but thankfully they're
under The microsoft, umbrella which is like the most profitable
company in the world or.
Speaker 3: Whatever so that's why there's like pretty Much i'm gonna unlimited.
Speaker 1: Bailouts because like they have like big monster like trillions
and trillions of. Dollars so, LIKE i don't, know does
three hundred million like really.
Speaker 3: Matter and the other Thing.
Speaker 1: I'm skeptical about that number is like we don't really
know what that. Means BECAUSE i Play call Of Due
Back up six through Game, pass BUT i was not
gonna buy that. Game are they counting my number of
me booting up that game from Game pass as eighty dollars?
Loss because that's not the. CASE i was not gonna
buy that game. Otherwise so are they just counting everyone
who booted up on Game pass as a? Loss because
like maybe that that certainly is true for a lot of,
People LIKE i Think. TAYLOR i don't think he Bought
Black op, six but he would have probably if it
wasn't on Game. Pass so there are people like that for,
Sure BUT i don't know how true that number actually,
is you, know and we don't really have much information
that wasn't like From. Xbox they're obviously not going to
like say that publicly because that not looked good for.
Them but, yeah SO i don't know how much that
number really.
Speaker 3: Means it's it's.
Speaker 1: Interesting we can speculate on, it but it it's hard
to really quantify it too.
Speaker 3: Much, yeah, YEAH.
Speaker 2: I doubt they would ever go back to it, Though
like if it's if it's a strategy to maybe just
get the number increased ready for A caulity released or.
SOMETHING i DON'T i don't think those numbers are really
going to be going, down if like much at, all if, Anything, YEAH.
Speaker 3: I, MEAN i.
Speaker 1: DON'T i don't think the like the amount of backlash
there would have been if they had, Said, hey, Actually
call Of duty not gonna be a Game pass.
Speaker 3: Title. Again we tried. It it didn't work for.
Speaker 1: Us you're gonna have to buy that game. Separate people
would be mad for a few, days but then people
would buy it and they'd make.
Speaker 3: A ton of.
Speaker 1: Money it'd be the best selling game of the, year
and they would be, happy And Game pass subscriber numbers
would be the same or maybe a little bit. Less
LIKE i don't know how many people were subscribing just
For call Of.
Speaker 3: DUTY i don't.
Speaker 1: KNOW i guess they have those those, metrics so Maybe
i'm wrong, There BUT i don't know how much that
would really make the. Difference BUT i think part of this,
is like they can't really go back on this, fully,
right because part of the increase Of ultimate fifty percent
is they're offering The Fortnite crew thing and you be solved.
Classics they have to pay you, Know epic and you
be soft like some amount of Game pass, now, Right
like obviously they're already split in that part a little
bit WITH ea because THE ea plays in.
Speaker 3: THERE i don't know how that.
Speaker 1: WORKS i don't know If xbox just it gives a
lump sum TO ea and says, like here's two billion,
dollars we're gonna have this service thing and we get
all this Game pass. MONEY i don't think it works that,
way AND i Doubt epic would take that deal with Game.
Pass that seems like a bad idea for. Them LIKE
i feel, like now this thirty four dollars like they
can't really reduce that, Much like how much more money
Is xbox actually making know of, this considering that like
part of that extra money has to go To epic
And fortnite and part of it to go a much smaller,
AMOUNT i will say to you be sold for the classics.
Catalog so that's another thing, too is like they increase
the price a ton for, consumers BUT i don't know
how much it's actually increasing xboxes, revenue like you, know
for themselves on a monthly game pass, amount just because
that amount is gonna be split, now and that makes,
it LIKE i, said really hard to go back on
this price, too because if they want to lower it,
AGAIN i don't know how much margin they actually have
to do that because they still have to Pay fortnite
And epic because that's probably a contractual thing for at
least a year or, two you, be solft is a contractual.
Speaker 3: Thing so, FUCK i don't, Know LIKE i just.
Speaker 1: DON'T i just don't see them like being able to rewind.
THIS i feel like they just can't really go back
and so it's just gonna stay shitty for a while or.
Speaker 3: FOREVER i, guess, yeah to put it, lightly.
Speaker 1: So. Yeah LIKE i, SAID i think if you are
a person who subscribes to a Game pass ultimate every
month always and get The Fortnite Battle Pass, crew whatever
the frick it's called in some v, bucks, okay you
you probably benefit from. This cool you get like a
you can combine your subscriptions into, One.
Speaker 3: You get a nice.
Speaker 1: DEAL i don't know if, THAT i GUESS i assume
That fortnite stuff you can like activated On xbox and
then it carries over to your other LIKE pc switch
wherever you play the.
Speaker 3: GAME i don't.
Speaker 1: KNOW i assume, so SO i guess if you're that, person,
cool good for, you happy for. You and THEN i
think if you're still if you're A pc only, person
there is a price increase, here but like twenty Dollars
canadian a month for that, CATALOG i still think it
is a good. Deal AND i, think you, know for
years we've said Game pass the best deal in. GAMING
i think that maybe is still true FOR pc Game pass,
specifically BUT i think in terms of like just general game,
PASS i would actually give the point over to PlayStation.
Speaker 3: NOW i THINK i, think.
Speaker 1: With this price, increase the best deal in, gaming best
value in game AND i actually think IS ps plus,
again which it was for, years AND i think it
is taking that helm back in my opinion with LIKE i,
said the one exception of, LIKE i still THINK pc
Game pass is a damn good. Deal it's a little
more expensive, now BUT i think it's for what you're.
GETTING i think it's still like a super duper solid.
Deal ALTHOUGH i don't Think visa Game pass has The
fortnite you be seft, thing just be, clear it only
has THE ea.
Speaker 3: Play but you, know that's.
Speaker 1: Fine let's see what else is there about? THIS i
THINK i, think you, know a lot of this all
comes back to That Activision blizzard. Acquisition seventy billion dollars
has a lot more than three hundred. Million that's an
amount they have to think about and worry, about and
for years it's, Like, okay it's gonna take us a
long time before they make that money, back, Right and
so obviously they got to find every which way they.
Can they get through the couch for, quarters, uh charging
extra amounts for game. Pass they gotta do whatever they
can to find that. Money and SO i think this
all comes back To Activision blizzard and that, acquisition and like.
Speaker 3: You, know blame Me.
Speaker 1: Xbox they probably shouldn't have done. That maybe we'll, see
like in the long, run maybe the amount of money
they make From call Of duty is worth. It BUT
i also think like that deal should have been, Blocked
LIKE i think that is just too close to like
monopolistic stuff like that should have been blocked by THE.
Speaker 3: FDC i don't think that should have been allowed to go. Through.
Speaker 1: There the amount of fucking the layoffs that have happened
because of that acquisition is, sickening and it still. Happens
and that's another rumor is that more layoffs are, coming
which is not even like a. Rumor it's like it
is going to happen at some. Point it's just like
which studio is going to get the kick.
Speaker 3: Next it's.
Speaker 1: Unfortunate so, YEAH i JUST i in, retrospect LIKE i
really wish that didn't. Happen and as An xbox gamer
at the, TIME i was, like, oh you, KNOW i
don't love the consolidation aspect of, this But i'm gonna
get a lot more games on Game. Pass but that's
not even, True like there aren't even a lot Of
Activision blizzard things on Game pass, still like three four years,
later you're now getting like day one game Call due,
Stuff but there's not even like the entire catalog Of
call Of dude games on, There like there's just like
three or four of them on. There so it's really.
WEIRD i don't know why they've taken so long to
do that. STUFF i don't know if it is like
contracts that they can't, change but, YEAH i think that
ultimately just all rolls back to, That AND i think
if we could really wind the tape and block that
and not all lout of that, HAPPEN i think we'd
probably be in a better world at this. Point AND
i think that maybe it would have been good for
maybe that have to get more creative of they're like
actually gonna become a, profitable like solid company instead of
just like buying the rights to things and pain way
over pain for.
Speaker 3: Them mm. Hmm, yeah, uh let's.
Speaker 1: SEE i guess the other rumors things going on here
is one of the rumors that we've heard about this,
before but it's kind of circling circulating again with this,
news is That xbox is potentially looking at releasing a
free game past here that oh you, know it's going
to be just chock full the nastiest ads you'll over
see in your life for fifteen. Minutes it'll be like
A kujima. Game you'll get like cut scenes worth of
ads every.
Speaker 2: When you're not looking at. Them, too it won't progress
unless you're staring at. That, yes you have to like
move the nect or. Something you have to like move.
Speaker 1: The stick on your, controller like you have to like
be engaging with the game or something like that to
move through THE.
Speaker 3: Ad SO i don't know what that will look. LIKE i,
mean that is.
Speaker 1: Horrendous that's, like THAT'S i hate the idea of having
to boot up AN ad mid mid game or having
to watch AN ad before you boot up a. Game
So i'm really curious to see how that rollout. Happens you,
know it isn't offering at the very, least LIKE i
think it's if.
Speaker 3: Anything xbox tries.
Speaker 1: So hard to like spin all these changes as like
we're giving you more, options but like that's such a
fucking cold, hearted stupid little. Lie with the game pass
free tier, thing that is that is a new, option
that's something you have a new way to. Play and
so MAYBE i really want to check Out Indiana jones
with a great, circle and it's almost like a demo
or something, LIKE i just bade this demo with, ADS
i guess of this.
Speaker 3: Game we'll see what it looks.
Speaker 1: LIKE i don't have high hopes of it being good or,
interesting and that's not the WAY i want to enjoy video.
Games SO i don't think i'd be checking that out
much other than the curiosity of. It and then the
other thing that kind of went around and The xbox
kind of debunked it was people are saying some leakers
are saying That xbox it's maybe not planning to make another.
Console they're just gonna go full third party almost game pass,
stuff maybe just you, know keep investing in, PCs that
kind of, thing and Then Xbox hamon said that's not.
Happening but like the amount of Times xbox has directly
lied in like public statements and showcases in the last
few years is like astronomical at this, Point like anything
that comes out Of Phil, spencer sarab, on any of
their mouths is just complete horseshit like half the. Time
SO i don't, KNOW i don't believe. THEM i don't
think this will be their last. Console and they're obviously
about to release their like handheld, thing which IS i
think like thirteen hundred Dollars canadian or something ridiculous like,
that which is absolutely. Ft but, YEAH i think they
will make another console in the, future BUT i don't.
KNOW i don't that might be their last. One i'm
not really sure what it'll look, like AND i don't
think we're any anywhere close to. IT i think it
might still be a few years. Away would kind of
be my thought, there BUT i don't. Know what do
you what do you think could or should be the
future of Like xbox and like specifically having a console
to offer their services in.
Speaker 2: Games Although i'm not like An xbox, OWNER i hope
they continue making. Consoles it just seems weird if they
end up just transitioning fully TO, pc because that would
make me think that instead of it being like multi cross,
platform maybe it would just BE pc, titles like if
they if they completely stay away from An xbox dedicated,
console AND i JUST i don't. KNOW i don't love
the idea of. THAT i although PlayStation definitely wins the
battle when it comes to first party, ips like like
Big TRIPLE a.
Speaker 3: Titles BUT i don't.
Speaker 2: KNOW i still would hope that there is one Great
xbox one that could still potentially come, Out AND i don't.
Know it also just seems weird because as long As
i've been a game where it's pretty much Been nintendo
PlayStation and An, xbox and like that's just kind of
the trifecta of consoles in my, mind AND i don't, know.
Speaker 3: It's just just.
Speaker 2: Bizarre but when the rumors were going, AROUND i didn't
really believe. Them but that's also just because it just
seems weird to. Me it's like there's no way that
that could actually, happen more so than it actually being
a believable. Rumor but, yeah it's it's a weird time
in The xbox mythos and curious what's gonna come of?
Speaker 1: It, yeah, YEAH i MEAN i think at this, point
like with, this like you, know the REASON i got
A SERIES x was mostly for the access of Game
pass of, It like you, know it's cheaper than getting
a NEW, pc and the price of Game pass was really,
good AND i don't regret getting it with this change,
here BECAUSE i still got like years of like an
insane amount of value out of that service and like
played a ton of games and every once in a
WHILE i will jump back on that service and experience
a lot of those games, Still and you, know like
when A fable comes, Out i'd probably, subscribe like for a,
month Because i'd rather Play fable for thirty four dollars
instead of like one hundred and ten dollars or whatever
the fuck a game cost these. Days and you, know
maybe For Elders girls, six i'd probably just buy that
one out, right but you, know for certain, ONES i
might make an exception and jump in there and it
can be worth it and all. That but, yeah like
if this obviously this is LIKE i, said they can't
really retract on this because of all these other services
that are jammed into this. Now so it's, LIKE i
don't really see myself having much of a reason to
get Another xbox in the future if it's just for
like a Game pass subscription here. There if you're, like,
Yeah i'll probably just get A pc and that's HOW
i can get access to those games WHEN i want,
To so that would probably be HOW i would go
about that in the. Future SO i didn't even if
they do release, ONE i don't THINK i have much
reason to pick it up. MYSELF i think the only
exception could be another rumor THAT i think me And
taylor talked about a few months ago is That. Xbox
uh Maybe i've been looking at Getting steam integration WITH
i don't know if it'd be specifically the SERIES x
or just like their next console in, general but IF
i could access my Entire steam library from My, xbox
like that is, huge and Obviously steam sales and things like,
this like there's so much great value to be had.
There so if the Next xbox Had steam, integration MAYBE
i would consider. IT i feel like that would kind
of be the one thing at this. Point but then
at that, rate like probably just get a NEW, pc
right and like even if it's a few hundred dollars
more than what an the New xbox, costs BUT i
mean even, yeah once again with these tariffs and, stuff
like The xbox prices are going up over time even
though it's older, tech which is. Insane so uh, yeah
not looking great for this, company and it's, uh it's too,
bad as. Man there was like two or three years
there where they were fucking crushing it and this year
this is an amazing year for Game, Pass like the
amount of big games that it came, out are coming. Out,
still the third party support was super. Good you, Know
Hollow Night exhibition thirty, three probably the two best games
of the year in Game pass day.
Speaker 3: One that's super. Cool xboxes have some good.
Speaker 1: Stuff they have good things coming up this month In
Ninja guide And Outer world's. Two so, yeah it's too bad,
that like they've this is almost like their swan song
to me in a way where it's, like LIKE i,
SAID i will still subscribe everyonce in a, while but,
yeah like this was also another great year and they've
been keeping it. Up but obviously if they're been a good,
year it means they've been spending a fuck ton of
money to get licensing deals or like whatever to get these.
Speaker 3: Games in Game.
Speaker 1: Pass so obviously the prices their costs don't make any
sense for the. Value but still now you're asking me
to pony up for, that.
Speaker 3: You, know errors not not gonna not.
Speaker 1: Happening, Dogs so uh, yeah it's it's too bad if
you want to see if anyone else wants to see
at more discussion about, this the discord was a blaze
with this. One a lot of people talking about it
and some other rumors and things that didn't get brought up,
here but, Yeah, kirkling any other final thoughts on all
This xbox news that we just kind of.
Speaker 3: Devoured do you.
Speaker 2: Think Phil spencer's nearing his end?
Speaker 3: Times?
Speaker 1: YEAH i wonder if this IS i don't know how
this any of this stuff. Works if he's doing some
crazy last ditch, things maybe that leads to him getting
like a bigger retirement package or something like, that because
he increased these next couple quarters because you, know through
some like schemy fucking. Ways but then he just Toldy
sewers like the next person who takes. Over, YEAH i
MEAN i think it's time for him to. GO i
think this whole fucking like get rid Of Sayah bond
and get rid of Mat, booty all the like those
three of the, triage the top. THREE i think all
of them need to. Go BUT i don't, know, like
who do you put in that? Spot, LIKE i don't,
know that's like an extremely hard job to fill at this,
point considering how much they've really just borked a lot
of this. Strategy so, yeah typical job for, anyone for,
Sure but, YEAH i THINK i for YEARS i was
kind of, like, yeah keep Keep phill around he's making
some good. Stuff but then when he started just lying
all the time, PUBLICLY i was, Like, okay fuck this.
Speaker 3: Guy like, GUY i can't defend him.
Speaker 1: Anymore and then, yeah try was supposed to a thing
too in the. Discord that was funny that apparently someone's claiming,
that Like Phil, spencer like there's someone literally on peril
At xbox that just like plays games under his account
so that it makes him look like he plays more
things so people think he's an actual gamer and, stuff
which is, LIKE i.
Speaker 3: Don't know IF i believe that. One that seems like
a bit too hair brain for.
Speaker 1: Me, uh but it would not shock me, honestly because
Like Elon musk got caught doing, that and they're one
in the, sane these billionaire, Secos so, YEAH i don't,
KNOW i could see him doing something like, that which
is just so weird and, gross but, uh you, know.
Speaker 3: It's the, way it's the way she.
Speaker 1: Goes, Yeah, kirkland thank. YOU i know you're not An xbox,
guy but thank you for joining me nonetheless on this your,
commentary which is always. Appreciated hopefully next time we can
talk About. Xbox it's like good, news but it feels
like that is rare these, days BUT i don't.
Speaker 3: Know we'll.
Speaker 1: See they have a couple of games coming out this.
MONTH i might play a couple of, them so we'll
see what happens with. That but thank you for joining.
Me thank you everyone for listening once. Again go check
Out Monochrome heights if you want to play cool TWO d,
platformer and we will be back again next week as
we always. Are thank you so much for. Listening bye, Bye.
Speaker 3: Byett